There’s a pause before Billy Joel steps onstage each night when he makes the subtle transition from low-key Everyman to world-renowned Piano Man. It’s just a few minutes of “not talking to anybody, not seeing anybody,” he said, mimicking waving off potential distractions. In February, “Turn the Lights Back On,” his first new song in nearly 20 years, joined the set list. Joel, 75, promised to keep the show running as long as there was demand. In total, the run grossed more than $260 million with attendance nearing two million, according to the trade publication Pollstar.

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Persons: Billy Joel, It’s, ”, bellowing, screech, shutdowns — Joel, Joel, ” Dennis Arfa Organizations: Madison, Garden, “ Locations: Sag, Long, Manhattan